The Dallas Cowboys $7 million investment that just became much more important after roster cuts
The Dallas Cowboys deciding to go thin at running back really puts this recently-extended player under the spotlight. And maybe we should’ve been paying attention all this time.
The Dallas Cowboys carrying only three running backs on their initial 53-man roster has people focusing on the wrong people. It’s true, Jaydon Blue being waived on Sunday was a significant surprise. And it’s clear the Cowboys could use better depth at the position.
However, little is being said about a player the Cowboys invested $7 million in last year that could play a signigificant part at running back: Hunter Luepke.
Cowboys FB ready to take on larger role
It’s true, Luepke’s primary role is at fullback. But when he signed a $7 million contract extension in 2025, it seemed like the Cowboys envisioned a larger role for him. That didn’t quite came into effect last season, though.
Luepke’s snap count on offense ironically dipped from 28% in 2024 to 21% in 2025, per Pro Football Reference. Promises of him taking on tight end snaps went mostly unfulfilled. He did become a more prominent player on special teams, but his role stayed fairly limited on offense.
Could that change in 2026? It would help explain the Cowboys going short at running back. It would also fit what head coach Brian Schottenheimer said about Luepke back in March.
Schottenheimer teased bigger role for Luepke
Content creator and analyst Will Steele recently resurfaced a video from Schottenheimer in March of 2025 where he teases a bigger and evolved role for Luepke.
“Let Hunter Luepke do some things, one of the guys that in the exit interviews came to me and said ‘Hey coach, I feel like I can do more, and I can help,” Schottenheimer said then. “I looked him straigth in the eyes and said ‘Hunter, I agree.”
Coming out of college, Luepke was a swiss army knife on offense. He stood out as a blocker, runner, and even as a pass catcher. Though he’s proven to be a reliable fullback for the Cowboys, we have yet to see him take that step and become a weapon with the ball in his hands.
His size and build make him a promising player for goal-line situations. But can he do the little things to be a contributing running back? It sounds like he will get the chance.
And frankly, if he does, that $7 million deal will start making a lot more sense.
Cowboys RB room outlook
Below is the list of Cowboys running backs who made the initial 53-man roster:
- Javonte Williams
- Malik Davis
- Hunter Luepke (FB)
My bet is Davis is the main backup to Williams, as he played like the second-best RB on the team throughout three preseason games. And while I expect Luepke to take on a larger, more versatile role on offense, there’s a high likelihood the Cowboys call someone up from the practice squad for gameday early on.
The Cowboys are expected to target Phil Mafah, Israel Abanikanda, and even Blue for the practice squad. We’ll see if that comes to fruition over the next 24 hours.
